Beyond the Red Mirror
by Chaosservant
Summary: Albion has long been cut off from the other worlds of the universe, the great gateways that allowed travel between them crumbled and ruined. Until the discovery of the fabled Red Mirror, the last Gateway in existence. The King of Mercia sends a company of his best men, led by his son Edward, to establish contact with the peoples beyond. But not all is right in the world of Eostia.
1. Beyond the Mirror

**As should be obvious, I do not own the rights to Kuroinu or Blind Guardian's Beyond the Red Mirror Album.**

Long ago, the many worlds of the Universe were connected by the Gateways, large portals that brought one through the Great Void to far off worlds. However, centuries ago the Gateways began to decay. One by one the great paths crumbled into ruin, those inside when the degradation occurred were killed and the formerly connected worlds were cut off. Now, on the world of Albion, the final of these ancient Gateways has been found. The King of the greatest nation of Albion, Mercia, has called for a military expedition through the Gate. To find the great riches told of in the Chronicles of the Old Kingdom, and re-establish contact with the denizens of this mysterious world.

King Alfred hand-picked the men to go through the Red Mirror, the name of this particular gate, and assigned his son Edward to lead them. Edward heavily resembled his father, square-jawed, thin-nosed, and with high cheekbones. While he had the soft brow and small forehead of his mother. He was a tall man, fair of skin, dark of hair, and stout of heart. A seasoned leader of men at the age of twenty-five, having led troops against the wild clans of the southern wilderness. He would be bringing with him a relatively small company of four hundred Pikemen, one hundred Handgunners, fifty Crossbowmen, a small unit of four Minion cannons, and his unit of fifty Heavy Cavalry who had served with him in the Wildlands. This alongside the laborers needed to handle the logistic needs of the Regiment once on the other side of the Mirror. They would be supplied through the gate but would need to stockpile as many supplies as possible in the event of gate failure.

* * *

The Red Mirror was an imposing sight. For many of the men in Edward's company, it was the largest thing they had ever seen, being about seven stories tall and wide enough for three carts to enter side by side. Edward rode atop his horse at the head of a column of about seven hundred men, all anxious to go through the gate. He was garbed in a set of full plate, blackened to prevent corrosion and trimmed with a pattern of gold. He struck an imposing figure at the head of a column of similarly armored men, the only difference between them being his helmet which had a pair of wings that swept up towards the sky. As they approached the gate, he saw his father waiting to see him off.

"Hail Father, come to see us off?" he inquired.

"Aye, this is a great day for us all. It would not do for me to not witness the culmination of generations of planning and searching, and besides that, you are my son and heir. I expect you to come back alive. Do not disappoint me" he replied. To others, it may have seemed dismissive and cold, but Edward knew how his father, the Great King Alfred, truly felt. He put on an air of disinterest and apathy to protect himself and his family from the predations of his more ambitious courtiers; however, those that truly knew him knew that he loved his family and would die before seeing harm come to them.

"I do not intend to, if all goes well we shall return with good news and the promise of trade with our new neighbors." indeed, if things went well beyond the Mirror, Mercia could be on the cusp of a new Golden Age.

"Good, I shall expect a report no later than a week after your arrival" Alfred was confident in his son's abilities, and anticipated that it would take less than that for a report to come back through the Mirror.

"Of course, sir. You shall have it" Edward spoke confidently.

"Good, now, you should not delay any further. Good luck and God be with you" Alfred said, before stepping to the side to allow the Company passed.

"And with you Father, tell Mother and Æthelflæd I love them, and shall see them again soon." with that, he raised a hand and motioned for the Company to continue forward. They drew closer to the Mirror, the red glow of the portal gave the whole area a sinister feeling that was at odds with the air of optimism that came from the various observers and the King's retinue. Edward approached the entrance to the unknown and hesitated for but a moment before pushing onward through the baleful red of the doorway. Once he entered the Mirror he found himself in a large chamber, colored the same red as the doorway itself. Some hundred yards away was another identical doorway, and so he made his way to it. He could hear the awed sounds of the men behind him as they looked upon the walls of the chamber, red mirror surfaces that seemed to subtly distort what it reflected. Finally, Edward arrived at the second doorway and urged his horse forward.

* * *

It was a dark time in Eostia. The mercenaries of the Black Dogs had betrayed the Alliance, and now waged a war of subjugation, wanton rape, and slaughter. The outlying villages and towns of the Allied kingdoms had fallen. The men killed or enslaved, and the women taken to be sex slaves for the Dogs and their dark cohorts. It was in these dark times that the people of the village of Daria took solace in their faith. Legend told of the great Gateway, whose stone edifice remained on a field outside the village, bringing forth servants of the Lord to bring salvation to those in need. Thus the people of Daria left offerings around the gate, to gain the favor of the Lord and seek protection from the Dogs.

On this particularly quiet day, the chief of the village, one Erin Sune, made his daily pilgrimage to the gateway. He carried with him a basket of bread and cheeses, to be left at the small altar erected near it. However, there was one major difference between those days and today. Today, the gateway glowed a deep red and rippled as though something was coming through.

"Could it be? Salvation?" he whispered to himself in awe. The last time the Gateway had been active like this, well, was during the Great War many generations ago. When the forces of good and evil fought across the breadth of the universe. So engrossed in these thoughts was he, that he did not notice the warning flare that came up inside the village. It wasn't until he heard the sound of a marching army that he looked away from the Gateway, and beheld to great dismay, the forces of the Black Dogs. He could see them from here, their banners waving in the wind as an omen to the coming death of Daria. The chief had seen much in his sixty-five years of life, and he could hear the death knell of the village he had worked so hard to see prosper, it sounded like the baying of Pigmen and Demifiends. Suddenly, from the Gate there came movement. A horse, ridden by a man in a suit of plate, rode through the mirror-like surface of the light. Following him came many score other horsemen, pikemen, archers, and men with large wooden rods, much like a crossbow without arms. With a start, they stared in awe at their surroundings before one, an ox of a man in a suit of plate to the left of the leader, motioned to Erin himself.

"Hail friend! Woul-" he began, before being interrupted by the old gentleman.

"Please! You must help, the enemy marches on my village! They will rape and slaughter everyone, please help!" Erin was desperate, if they turned their backs on the village they were doomed.

"What enemy? What are you saying, man?" was the reply.

"Mercenaries are preparing to sack my village, rape the women and kill the men, please, you must help us fend them off." the desperation was clear in his voice, and Edward was moved into action by his plea.

"Alright, we shall help you" he replied, turning to his men. "Right, Pikemen, form tercio. The enemy shall be run through upon your steel. Gunners, prepare shot and take your formations in the tercio. Reunalt, take your crossbowmen and the cannons to that hill there" he said, pointing at a small hill overlooking the path of the enemy. "It should give you a better position to pepper them with bolt and cannon fire". Finally, he ordered his cavalrymen to prepare for a charge into the enemy flanks.

"Thank you sir, oh Lord praise you sir" Erin was openly weeping now, hopeful for the first time in what seemed like forever.

"Men, move to intercept the enemy!" he ordered, sparing but a small nod towards the old chief. The tercio moved rather quickly for a block of its size, owing to the seasoned nature of these men. Soon they were in position, pikes bristling dangerously in the morning light, and the enemy was now within sight.

"By God, how undisciplined." Edward's lieutenant, George, commented. He was correct, of course. These mercenaries were hardly more organized than a Southern raiding party, and even more poorly armed. These men were wearing, for the most part, what looked to be cloth tunics with leather bracers and greaves at most. There were even those without clothing on their backs at was not even counting the beastmen, which were completely naked as a rule.

"It is clear these men have never faced an opponent of even marginal discipline. Still, we must not underestimate them" came Edwards reply. Finally, the mercenaries saw them, their standard waving proudly in the morning air. The baying of the beasts grew louder and more urgent. Suddenly, four explosions ripped through the air. The Minions let loose their deadly payload. Heavy balls of metal flew through the air and landed among the densely packed mercenaries. Their limp bodies were torn apart and thrown about the road. In response, the beastmen, who were far enough away from the men to avoid any casualties, broke into a charge. They recklessly threw themselves forward, right into the effective range of the Musketeers.

"Take aim, Fire!" two of the Sergeants ordered. With this, the musketeers fired off their deadly volleys. Many of the beasts were struck down in the first volley before they could get close enough to bring their bulk to bear. The men had by now recovered, although still under fire from the cannons, and they too ran wantonly into their fire. The crossbowmen loosed their bolts at any who strayed too close to the cannon's position, felling many more. The continued fire from the cannons and muskets soon proved too much, and the enemy routed. However, before they could get far, Edward's cavalry charged into the fleeing mercenaries. They ran down all who attempted to flee the field, including several grotesque Pigmen who squealed much like their names would suggest.

Now quiet reigned in the countryside, the muskets and cannons having gone silent at the death of the last enemy. The only sounds were of the groaning of the dying mercenaries, and the pounding of hoof on the dirt. The pikemen now moved forward, stabbing any beast or man who made move to rise. Only some thirty of the original two hundred Dogs yet lived. Though those who survived were maimed beyond what any in this land were used too, and their screams were slowly being silenced by the pikes. Only one man was allowed to live, a portly man with the bearing of a spoiled child who lead this raid. He whined incessantly before being slapped across his face by the mailed fist of George.

"Shut up, insolent whelp. You will speak as a man or I shall cut out your tongue." he threatened. Edward knew, of course, that he was completely serious. He had seen George do it to a southern clansman before. Glancing down, Edward noticed the stain growing in the prissy young noble's trousers and glared in disgust.

"Now that we have your attention, you shall tell us anything and everything you know. If you refuse, I shall let George here follow up on that threat of his" he demanded. Once more, the stain grew larger.

"I.I..I am Duke William of Dunebourough, I...I can give you whatever you'd like, Girls, Women, Bo-Ayy!" William squealed as George drove his gauntleted finger into his left eye socket. "Sto-Stop, please stop! I'll talk, please" Edward was inclined to have the fat bastard executed here and now to make his incessant wailing stop.

"Where is this, Dunebourough?" Edward inquired.

"T..two days travel to the north, along this path" the worm squealed out.

"And are they allied with this mercenary filth, hmm?"

"N...no, only my brother he sent me here, it was all his ide-"

"Shut up worm, George, do what you please to him. Just don't make too much of a mess." Edward commanded as he walked towards Erin, he sped up slightly when he heard the largest squeal yet come from the pig, before abruptly silencing.

"Now, sir, I have need of you. Most pressingly, I need to know where I am, and what the situation is in these lands."

 **Hey there, people of FFN, I have risen from the dead in order to beat my muse with a stick... thus producing this... a mostly original setting crossed over with a series that I hate with a fiery passion. Worry not, as much as I may want, I shall try not to make it** ** _too_** **much of a stomp in the Mercian's favor. Anyhow, thanks for reading, critiques and such are welcome.**

 **Edit: Alright, now that I have had time to reread this and such, I have changed a couple things to make the story actually make sense. Anywho, Enjoy and don't forget to Review. Ah, and please try to keep the "LOL MOAR" posts to a minimum.**


	2. Imagination from the Other Side

**Once more, I claim no ownership to Kuroino or the album Beyond the Red Mirror. I shall be making absolutely no profit from this enterprise.**

* * *

The old man, one Erin Sune, turned out to be an invaluable resource. As his men made camp around the Mirror, he talked at length with Erin. He learned of the betrayal of the Black Dogs and the subjugation of the Outlands. What he heard disgusted him. He could feel the apocalyptic rage present in his Second as the Elder relayed what he knew of the conflict.

'These men, no, these animals must be put down, My Lord, they must be purged from this world! Their mere existence is an affront to the Lord!' George had since removed his helm, allowing Edward to see the righteous fury that burned in his blue eyes.

'I am inclined to agree, George, however, we are but one company. We cannot bring down these, Dogs, without aid. The armies of Mercia would likely have no trouble with this rabble, but the King could hardly spare the men we have here. If we can acquire the aid of this… Alliance, such as it is, we would have a better chance.' he told his Second. He turned now to Erin, 'Master Sune, would you happen to have a map of the Kingdoms?' he questioned. If they were to have any chance of seeking the aid they would need, they would first need to know where they were.

'Ah, yes. I have an older map from my adventuring days, the names of a few places may be out of date, but it should be what you need.'

'Good, before we can plan further we shall need it. Please, when you have retrieved it, bring it to my tent.' he requested, before turning and heading towards the camp. He would compile a report to be sent back through the Mirror as soon as possible.

* * *

Erin practically skipped back towards his village. His intact, and safe, village. Though the battle was ended, the citizens of Doria were reluctant to leave their homes. Though little by little they left their homes and bombarded him with questions. Before he could be overwhelmed, he raised his hands and asked for silence. When his people had calmed themselves he spoke.

'The Dogs who dared attempt an assault on our home have been destroyed. The Lord has delivered us from evil once more! The Great Gateway is open, and His soldiers have come. To bring ruin and damnation upon the Black Dogs! So fear not, for we are safe.' his speech inflamed their hearts. Bringing hope in place of doubt. Some of the people returned to their homes, others to the temple, and yet more flooded into the Tavern to celebrate. Erin continued down the road to his home, a modest thing of stone and wood, and opened the door. He hurried up the stairs to his room and opened his trunk. He dug around inside for a time until he came across a small tube that contained an old map of Eostia.

With map in hand, he passed out of his home and hurried back in the direction of the newcomer's camp.

* * *

Edward sat in his tent, where a table and bed had been set. He was currently writing out a preliminary report for his father. In it, he detailed what he had learned from the village elder. Once he finished, he called for a messenger to be sent to him. After a short time, a young man was admitted. " Ah, good, you've come. Please, take this report through the Mirror and ensure it finds the King," he ordered, handing the sealed envelope to the young Man-at-Arms.

"It will be done, My Lord" he crossed an arm over his chest and bowed lightly before turning on his heel and exiting the tent. Once the man left his tent, Edward leaned back in his chair with a sigh. 'This situation is troubling indeed if we are not careful we could be whittled down to nothing and then the people of this world would be stuck back where they were before.' he thought. The state of this continent troubled him greatly as, from what he witnessed, theses Dogs should have folded to even a mild resistance. Yet, according to Erin, the Dogs had pushed south almost to the Shield fortress of Feoh, supposedly a powerful kingdom with many men at its disposal. The only reason he could surmise that would allow for the violent push, other than the justified surprise at the mercenaries betrayal, would be that they had men in positions of power that could sabotage their military. Of course, it could be just as well that the Kingdoms were so incompetent that a Clan Chief's retinue would be able to fight their armies back. His thoughts were interrupted by the voice of the guard outside his tent.

"Milord, Master Sune has arrived." came the rough voice of Domeric through the flap.

"Very good, send him in" the Prince ordered. The old man walked steadily to the long table that took up most of the tents' space and laid a long tube of thick parchment on it.

"Here's the map I promised, like I said it's a bit outdated but has the major locations right" Erin explained.

"You have my thanks, Master Sune, I shall send a runner to you if I need anything further" Edward explained, dismissing Erin and reaching to take the map from the table.

"No thanks are necessary Milord you saved my village and its people, giving away an old map is the absolute least I could do for you" tears began to well in his eyes again before he turned and pushed through the tent flap into the noonday sun. Inside, Edward popped open the tube and pulled forth and unrolled the map. He laid it out on the table, using four stones to keep it from rolling back. He could see Daria to the southwest of Ur and Feoh along with Dunebourough to the north some thirty-five kilometers. Edward ordered Domeric to fetch George, who was overseeing the creation of a rudimentary palisade, send a servant with lemon water.

It took George less than a minute to return to the command tent, his bulk just barely fitting into even the high ceilinged tent, and the servant was fast behind him. Edward thanked the man and sent him on his way. He poured himself a goblet and waved his second over to the map.

"Our friend in the village came through then?" came the deep baritone of George's voice.

"Quite so, now let us get to it. As you can see we are just less than a day's march from the source of this raid. According to our… friend, Dunebourough is under the control of the mercenaries that we fought. The so-called Duke's brother is likely in control. Judging from the undisciplined nature of these Dogs it is likely that they have leveraged control of the Watch within the town. However, we cannot be sure of the state of this place until we have seen it for ourselves. I am planning on leading outriders to scout the town, perhaps even enter it."

"My Lord, I must protest. We have no idea as to the situation on the roads to the north, and we cannot risk losing the crown prince in a pointless skirmish!" George was insistent that he not go himself.

"Be that as it may, I will do so as is my want. I will have some of my most elite men, Captain Aldred and his fellows will be quite adequate should we run into any hostile forces. They would never allow me to be taken." Edwards tone brokered no argument. George looked ready to protest further, but thought better of it and simply changed the subject.

"Very well My Lord, but know that I do not support this."

"Your opposition is noted. Now, as I was saying, I will take the Captain and thirty other of my riders. We shall scout the path north and investigate the town proper. If we are to rid it of Dog influence, we must first know just how compromised it is."

"Hmm, what are we to do while you are scouting?"

"You are to continue building up our defenses here and bring through the Sakers and Culverin. We shall likely need them in the months to come."

"Very good milord, I shall get started post haste." with a small nod and a wave of his hand, Edward dismissed George who saluted and exited the tent. The Prince took another glance at the map and shook his head. Nothing could ever go quite right, now could it?

* * *

Far in the northern deadlands, Volt sat upon the former throne of Olga Discordia. He had just finished enjoying himself with the dark-skinned bitch and was now surveying his throne room. His comrades were breaking in new pleasure slaves from the south. As he listened to their cries of pain and pleas for help, he couldn't help but smirk. Things were going well, the forces of Feoh were crumbling and his men would be at the gates by the end of the week. 'Soon' he thought to himself, 'Soon it shall all be mine'. His ruminations were broken by the opening of the Throne Room door. In walked his second, Kin. He was followed by two of his men, holding a black box in between them.

"Ah, Kin. What is this?" he inquired.

"While we were exploring the lower levels of the fortress we came upon a room, set apart from the others, inside was this box. I found some sort of gem within it, I thought it would interest you" he explained.

"Truly, well, let's see it. Open the damn box," he ordered. The two men set the box down at the foot of his throne and opened it. From within there came a sickly green glow. A wave of pure, unbridled hate and malevolence poured forth and he found it hard to breathe. The feeling passed as suddenly as it came, and he peered down into the box. On a small cushion sat a green shard. It looked like the purest of emeralds and before he could register he was already kneeling with hand outstretched to take it. At the edge of his awareness, he thought he could hear voices, dark, _evil_ , voices.

" _Take it~ Take it~, It_ _will_ _grant you Power, such great power~_ " they hissed, and he obeyed. He took the shard and beheld it. He could feel the power as it thrummed through his body, and yet, he could also hear laughter. Such dreadful laughter. The voices returned.

" _Yes~ Good. You shall make a fine puppet, indeed~_ " yet again the voices hissed in amusement. " _You will be our instrument in this world~. Our tool, to be used as we see fit~_ "

'Ah, of course, anything you wish. I shall be your instrument' Volt thought to himself, the voices would help him. The voices were kind indeed and would grant him boons most wondrous.

"I live to serve you" Volt muttered, drawing a questioning look from Kin and the men. However, the trance ended just as suddenly as it had begun, and Volt looked up sharply. "Ready my guard and prepare the Demifiends, we march on Feoh, tonight". His voice shook something in his comrades, his soldiers, his… _slaves_.

* * *

 **Once again, I rise from the depths to bring forth new terrors to the Dogs most Black. Concurrently I have edited my first chapter to clean things up a bit and to make things consistent. I apologize that it took so long, but life is a cruel mistress and I was quite swamped. Anyway, as always, please do not forget to leave a review and if the story piques your interest, well, why not a follow. :p**


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